Silas, unaware that his actions had awakened a terrifying foe, was too focused on hunting down the fleeing crabs. Guessing that they might be retreating to the narrow valley, he immediately started making his way there.

  Inside their burrow, the crabs were in a miserable state. Most had lost claws and limbs, while the rest struggled to carry their injured comrades, their expressions grim. They knew their enemy would be on their tail since their sneak attack had failed miserably. The plan, which they thought was well-prepared, had underestimated their opponent’s strength.

  To be fair, it wasn’t entirely their fault. Noctisnappers were considered exceptionally strong. They were known to crush monsters much stronger than themselves and had the advantage of overwhelming numbers. Their iron-like shells provided excellent defense, and their claws were capable of pulverizing stone. These were reasons why their neighbors rarely dared to mess with them.

  The narrow valley constrained Silas's movements, preventing him from unleashing his full size. Still, he refused to give up. Using his claws, he began scratching at the valley walls, expanding the space little by little. The entire valley trembled, sending rocks crashing down.

  The crabs, rushing back to their lair, were alarmed by the disturbance and quickened their pace.

  Like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the magpie lurking behind, Silas remained oblivious to the fact that a monster was rapidly approaching him.

  Silas had managed to widen the valley walls by several meters, giving himself more room to maneuver. But then, suddenly...

  He felt a chill run down his spine. His back was drenched in cold sweat. Turning slowly, he found himself staring into a pair of eyes brimming with curiosity.

  It was the giant centipede he had spotted earlier. Up close, Silas realized just how small he still was in comparison to the monstrous creature. His newfound confidence wavered slightly. He briefly considered unleashing his full size but refrained; the centipede’s oppressive aura told him they were on entirely different levels.

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  Silas decided against engaging in a fight. Perhaps he could log out of the monster world and level up in the human world before returning, stronger and better prepared. As these thoughts raced through his mind, a voice interrupted him.

  "Kid, do you want a beating? Trying to destroy my territory?"

  Startled, Silas whipped around, searching for the source of the voice.

  As he scanned his surroundings, he heard the sound of many approaching footsteps. Moments later, hundreds of crabs poured out of the holes in the valley walls, surrounding both Silas and the centipede.

  Among them, an older crab, barely able to move, emerged from the crowd. It glared at Silas as though he had stolen its life savings.

  The elder crab turned to the centipede, gesturing wildly with its claws as if explaining something. It then pointed sharply at Silas. The crab’s actions grew more frantic, as though it was about to have a meltdown. After a few minutes of venting, the elder crab finally exhaled heavily, looking at Silas with deep resentment.

  Silas stood there awkwardly, unsure of what he had gotten himself into.

  "Umm... Umm..."

  The centipede, listening to the crab’s tirade, nodded slowly, giving Silas a side-eye that made him shrink back.

  The injured crabs finally arrived, dragging their broken limbs behind them. Upon seeing this, the elder crab’s eyes turned bloodshot, and it looked ready to launch itself at Silas in a fit of rage. But the other crabs held it back.

  The centipede, deep in thought, scrutinized Silas. After a long moment, it said, "Little guy, bring me to your tribe’s guardian. I want to meet them."

  Silas froze. Guardian? Tribe? He had no idea what the centipede was talking about.

  The centipede, noticing his hesitation, sighed. "Obviously a stray."

  Silas’s mouth twitched, but he held his tongue.

  "Alright," the centipede continued. "Here’s the deal. I’ll overlook all this nonsense if you compensate the Noctisnapper tribe and me. I’m not asking for much—50 rank-one nether stones for the crabs and 50 for myself. This is a light punishment, considering none of their tribe members died. Their broken limbs and claws can regrow with time."

  The crabs’ eyes lit up. Such a massive amount of nether stones would take them decades to amass, and it would significantly enhance their strength.

  Silas, however, was dumbfounded. Nether stones? What were those? Did she expect him to dig in a mine for them? He imagined himself—a majestic lion—reduced to groveling in a dark cave.

  The centipede, observing Silas’s obvious confusion, could easily guess what was going through his head.